Such a defeated feeling when you see your colony of bees dying. Last Spring when we checked on our bees, I noticed the colony was diminishing and alot of dead honey bees in the bottom of the box. I knew there was no way to save them. So I let the hives sit last summer, knowing they would completely die out by winter. Getting honey from your honey bees is a great thing, but just keeping your colony alive and self sufficient is a success all of its own. Unfortunately, we failed at this and I am not 100% sure what was the cause of my strong hive that has been alive and producing honey for 5 years to die really was? In the fall we had a new child come to the house, which put us at raising a 1 yr. old, 2 yr. old, 3 yr. old and 4 yr old over the winter and I never winterized my boxes. I knew when I would go to clean them for this year I wouldn't like what I was going to see. It was way worse than I could have imagined and never again will I let my boxes sit unattended for the winter. The wax moth resided in my boxes eating all of the inside of the hive and a tiny mouse resided in the bottom and ran between my feet to take cover in the trees nearby. ( I hate mice) We are getting ready to put a fresh coat of paint on our boxes and the my bees should be arriving in 2 weeks.
Such a defeated feeling when you see your colony of bees dying. Last Spring when we checked on our bees, I noticed the colony was diminishing and alot of dead honey bees in the bottom of the box. I knew there was no way to save them. So I let the hives sit last summer, knowing they would completely die out by winter. Getting honey from your honey bees is a great thing, but just keeping your colony alive and self sufficient is a success all of its own. Unfortunately, we failed at this and I am not 100% sure what was the cause of my strong hive that has been alive and producing honey for 5 years to die really was? In the fall we had a new child come to the house, which put us at raising a 1 yr. old, 2 yr. old, 3 yr. old and 4 yr old over the winter and I never winterized my boxes. I knew when I would go to clean them for this year I wouldn't like what I was going to see. It was way worse than I could have imagined and never again will I let my boxes sit unattended for the winter. The wax moth resided in my boxes eating all of the inside of the hive and a tiny mouse resided in the bottom and ran between my feet to take cover in the trees nearby. ( I hate mice) We are getting ready to put a fresh coat of paint on our boxes and the my bees should be arriving in 2 weeks.
